The Gansbaai Photography Club was started in 2011 by Sanchia Chivell and her father, Wilfred, with a group of people with a common interest in photography, meeting together at the Great White House in Kleinbaai.

It was clear from the outset that there was a lot of interest shown both the practical and the theoretical side of photography. The club began to grow in membership and was open to anyone who was interested in photography, whatever the level of expertise and that the focus of the club was on taking the best photographs with the equipment available to you. The atmosphere has always been informal and relaxed.

The club continued to grow under the chairmanship of Christo Wessels, who served two terms from 2012 when Sanchia left, and did a sterling job at getting the club to where it is today with the format of the meetings being either guest speakers, theme evenings or practical training was well supported and enjoyed by everyone.

The club underwent a gradual change after it moved location to Groeneweide, a Garden Centre and Restaurant near Franskraal, Gansbaai. The transformation included a more focussed approach of improved photographic skills training and structured judging and reporting.